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stalks for me； and nettles； and the reeds that you cut by the stream
side； and to…morrow morning I will come out of your cellar with some
splendid paper。〃
〃If you can do that；〃 hiccoughed the 〃bear；〃 〃I will let you have；
perhapsI will see； that is； if I can let you havepshaw！ twenty…
five thousand francs。 On condition； mind； that you make as much for me
every year。〃
〃Put me to the proof； I am quite willing；〃 cried David。 〃Kolb！ take
the horse and go to Mansle； quick； buy a large hair sieve for me of a
cooper； and some glue of the grocer； and come back again as soon as
you can。〃
〃There！ drink；〃 said old Sechard； putting down a bottle of wine； a
loaf； and the cold remains of the dinner。 〃You will need your
strength。 I will go and look for your bits of green stuff； green rags
you use for your pulp； and a trifle too green； I am afraid。〃
Two hours later； towards eleven o'clock that night； David and Kolb
took up their quarters in a little out…house against the cellar wall；
they found the floor paved with runnel tiles； and all the apparatus
used in Angoumois for the manufacture of Cognac brandy。
〃Pans and firewood！ Why； it is as good as a factory made on purpose！〃
cried David。
〃Very well； good…night；〃 said old Sechard； 〃I shall lock you in； and
let both the dogs loose； nobody will bring you any paper； I am sure。
You show me those sheets to…morrow； and I give you my word I will be
your partner and the business will be straightforward and properly
managed。〃
David and Kolb； locked into the distillery； spent nearly two hours in
macerating the stems； using a couple of logs for mallets。 The fire
blazed up； the water boiled。 About two o'clock in the morning； Kolb
heard a sound which David was too busy to notice； a kind of deep
breath like a suppressed hiccough。 Snatching up one of the two lighted
dips； he looked round the walls； and beheld old Sechard's empurpled
countenance filling up a square opening above a door hitherto hidden
by a pile of empty casks in the cellar itself。 The cunning old man had
brought David and Kolb into his underground distillery by the outer
door； through which the casks were rolled when full。 The inner door
had been made so that he could roll his puncheons straight from the
cellar into the distillery； instead of taking them round through the
yard。
〃Aha！ thees eies not fair blay； you vant to shvindle your son！〃 cried
the Alsacien。 〃Do you kow vot you do ven you trink ein pottle of vine？
You gif goot trink to ein bad scountrel。〃
〃Oh； father！〃 cried David。
〃I came to see if you wanted anything；〃 said old Sechard； half sobered
by this time。
〃Und it was for de inderest vot you take in us dot you brought der
liddle ladder！〃 commented Kolb； as he pushed the casks aside and flung
open the door； and there； in fact； on a short step…ladder； the old man
stood in his shirt。
〃Risking your health！〃 said David。
〃I think I must be walking in my sleep；〃 said old Sechard； coming down
in confusion。 〃Your want of confidence in your father set me dreaming；
I dreamed you were making a pact with the Devil to do impossible
things。〃
〃Der teufel；〃 said Kolb； 〃dot is your own bassion for de liddle
goldfinches。〃
〃Go back to bed again； father；〃 said David； 〃lock us in if you will；
but you may save yourself the trouble of coming down again。 Kolb will
mount guard。〃
At four o'clock in the morning David came out of the distillery； he
had been careful to leave no sign of his occupation behind him； but he
brought out some thirty sheets of paper that left nothing to be
desired in fineness； whiteness； toughness； and strength； all of them
bearing by way of water…mark the impress of the uneven hairs of the
sieve。 The old man took up the samples and put his tongue to them； the
lifelong habit of the pressman； who tests papers in this way。 He felt
it between his thumb and finger； crumpled and creased it； put it
through all the trials by which a printer assays the quality of a
sample submitted to him； and when it was found wanting in no respect；
he still would not allow that he was beaten。
〃We have yet to know how it takes an impression；〃 he said； to avoid
praising his son。
〃Funny man！〃 exclaimed Kolb。
The old man was cool enough now。 He cloaked his feigned hesitation
with paternal dignity。
〃I wish to tell you in fairness； father； that even now it seems to me
that paper costs more than it ought to do； I want to solve the problem
of sizing it in the pulping…trough。 I have just that one improvement
to make。〃
〃Oho！ so you are trying to trick me！〃
〃Well； shall I tell you？ I can size the pulp as it is； but so far I
cannot do it evenly； and the surface is as rough as a burr！〃
〃Very good； size your pulp in the trough； and you shall have my
money。〃
〃Mein master will nefer see de golor of your money；〃 declared Kolb。
〃Father；〃 he began； 〃I have never borne you any grudge for making over
the business to me at such an exorbitant valuation； I have seen the
father through it all。 I have said to myself'The old man has worked
very hard； and he certainly gave me a better bringing up than I had a
right to expect； let him enjoy the fruits of his toil in peace； and in
his own way。I even gave up my mother's money to you。 I began
encumbered with debt； and bore all the burdens that you put upon me
without a murmur。 Well； harassed for debts that were not of my making；
with no bread in the house； and my feet held to the flames； I have
found out the secret。 I have struggled on patiently till my strength
is exhausted。 It is perhaps your duty to help me； but do not give ME a
thought； think of a woman and a little one〃 （David could not keep back
the tears at this）； 〃think of them； and give them help and protection。
Kolb and Marion have given me their savings； will you do less？〃 he
cried at last； seeing that his father was as cold as the impression…
stone。
〃And that was not enough for you；〃 said the old man； without the
slightest sense of shame； 〃why； you would waste the wealth of the
Indies！ Good…night！ I am too ignorant to lend a hand in schemes got up
on purpose to exploit me。 A monkey will never gobble down a bear〃
（alluding to the workshop nicknames）； 〃I am a vinegrower； I am not a
banker。 And what is more； look you； business between father and son
never turns out well。 Stay and eat your dinner here； you shan't say
that you came for nothing。〃
There are some deep…hearted natures that can force their own pain down
into inner depths unsuspected by those dearest to them； and with them；
when anguish forces its way to the surface and is visible； it is only
after a mighty upheaval。 David's nature was one of these。 Eve had
thoroughly understood the noble character of the man。 But now that the
depths had been stirred； David's father took the wave of anguish that
passed over his son's features for a child's trick； an attempt to 〃get
round〃 his father； and his bitter grief for mortification over the
failure of the attempt。 Father and son parted in anger。
David and Kolb reached Angouleme on the stroke of midnight。 They came
back on foot； and steathily； like burglars。 Before one o'clock in the
morning David was installed in